Much Ado About Machado

After enduring seven hours of rain delays over their six-game road trip to Cincinnati and Philadelphia, the Padres really need a win on Sunday. Machado provided that with two early homers for five RBI before the Phillies decided they didn’t want to deal with him anymore and walked him three straight trips to the plate, two intentionally. Machado has continued to be the anchor in the middle of the Padres lineup, really picking things up the last two weeks with a .360/.424/.700 slash line with five homers, 14 runs, 17 RBI, and three steals.

Let Fried-om Ring

Why is it we’re constantly trying to keep pitchers from hitting? Late in the game on Sunday, the Braves were certainly glad they hadn’t used Max Fried yet or hadn’t sent him to Pittsburgh early to get ready for his Monday start. He came up in the 10th inning after the Braves mounted a four-run-game-tying comeback in the 9th that emptied their bench. The left-handed pitcher then proceeded to knock in the game-winning run sealing the 8-7 Braves win. This year Fried is hitting .300 (6-for-20) with three runs and three RBI. 

Wander Returns To A Triple-A Park

Don’t freak out. The Rays didn’t send Franco down, they simply were playing against Toronto who is currently using their Triple-A affiliates park in Buffalo. The Rays had been on the wrong end of a few streaks of late with having not won a road game since the middle of June, having not led after any single inning in about a week, and having not won a game outright in eight days. Franco changed that as he went deep on Sunday in the Rays’ 5-1 win to get things started in the right direction again. He’s now hitting .233/.313/.731 in his brief 43 at-bats in the majors with two homers and two steals, however, this week he’s hit .286 as he starts to adjust to MLB pitching.

Polar Bear Goes Double Dipping

On hot summer days, Polar Bears on display at the Bronx Zoo like to get in the refreshing water to cool down and chill. Well, the Polar Bear on display in the Bronx on Sunday was more the variety that wears the orange and blue color scheme of the Mets. Playing a doubleheader against the Yankees, Pete Alonso went deep in both games of the double-dip including one in a six-run seventh off of Aroldis Chapman in game 1. He’s now hitting .255/.339/.813 on the season with 15 homers and 43 RBI but over the last week it’s been more a barrage of power than anything has he’s posted just five hits total with four leaving the yard for a .200 average but a .680 SLG.

How About Some Minor League Fun

It’s not often we can truly see life imitating art, but that happened on Saturday with Keithron Moss of the Rangers’ Low-A affiliate, Down East Wood Ducks, coming up short on a steal attempt of second similar to Willie Mays Hayes’ attempt in Major League.

 

Today’s Slate

There are 11 games happening today but nine of them are on the main slates for DFS sites. This week will kick off a key period for teams leading into the All-Star break next week as well as setting up the tenor on whether they’re buyers or sellers at the trade deadline at the end of July. Interestingly, there is only one game of the 11 that are intra division with the White Sox playing the Twins. A few big names are on the bump today with Brandon Woodruff leading the way along with Dylan Cease, Joe Musgrove, and Rich Hill.

Favorite Bets

Dodgers -167 - LA is in Miami tonight with Walker Buehler on the mound and while they’re facing Trevor Rogers on the hill for the Marlins, Miami has been very good at losing games in a variety of ways this year. Buehler has been phenomenal over the last month and the Dodgers come in having won nine straight as they try and catch the Giants for first place in the NL West.

Brewers -141 - Milwaukee is on a heater as well and gets a team that played a doubleheader yesterday, granted it was practically at home, but the Mets have still been up-and-down offensively. Brandon Woodruff has been every bit the ace the Brewers needed and on the road he’s been even tougher with a 1.55 ERA and 0.67 WHIP. This sets up well for the Brewers as the Mets have to deal with the emotional high of beating their cross-town rivals.